Last Hope of The Light
by Catdrewz
Summary: Just past the wall of the cosmodrome, on the remains of a broken highway, a new guardian wakes to a shattered world. Life in the Sol system is on the verge of collapse. The Traveler has stopped speaking. Now this new guardian must find his place in this collapsing world, and possibly find a way to save what little light remains.
1. Prologue: Transmission Lost

**/BEGIN TRANSMISSION**

/WARNING: TRANSMITTED DATA PARTIALLY CORRUPTED OR DESTROYED

/ATTEMPTING TO RETRIEVE LOST DATA

/PARTIAL DATA SET RETRIEVED

/TRANSMISSION START STILL CORRUPTED

/BEGIN AT MINUTE 2 SECOND 17

It was risky, yes.

But the rewards... The guardians we could have had...

Some of our greatest legends rose from beneath that spire. The people who might actually take back our system came from there.

To be the ghost that fought at the side of the savior of the light and Earth...

The temptation was too great.

Virgil first approached me with the Idea. As she explained it, I knew I should have tried to stop her, but I didn't want to. I could have been a part of those legends.

She had already convinced Cresthel to go. Cresthel had convinced two others. I was the fifth, and some other ghost we found outside the wall was the sixth. I don't know their names and its too late now to ask.

We made it through the wall with no problems. There were very few patrols on our way deeper into the territory, at least, few that we saw. Our supposed success to that point made us arrogant. Where we had been careful in the wall and approaching the spire, we were careless in its shadow.

We strode boastfully into a trap.

The devils had noticed us in the wall. One of their Archons had the idea to give us a clear path to the spire. They had splicer priests waiting for us.

They grabbed the three I didn't know first. Started pulling them apart right there.

They took their light.

How did they know to take their light?

Oh god.

They'll take my light next.

I need to get out before they can find me.

I need help.

Please.

Send help.

SEND HEL

/ERROR

/LOGIC CIRCUITS SHORTING

/REBOOTING

...

/REBOOT COMPLETE

...

Sorry.

This ordeal is causing strain on some systems. Logic unit is shorting and I don't have the light to repair it right now.

Anyway.

Virgil, Cresthel, and I managed to get out of the spire. Cresthel got hit by a wire rifle before we could get to the wall. Another priest was on him immediately.

Virgil got grabbed as soon as we reached the wall. She was still alive when the priests started to take her apart. They tried to use her against me. I won't talk about that.

I barely made it through the wall with them chasing me like that.

/RECALL UNIT SHORTING

NO

NO I WON'T

I WON'T LISTEN TO HER DIE AGAIN

/RECALL UNIT TEMPORARILY OFFLINE

What?

How did I... Wait.

Scanners are picking up a lot of fallen.

I don't like this. They're in a frenzy.

Like their hunting something, but what?

/RECALL UNIT RESTORED

Shit.

My systems are getting worse.

I cant keep my light hidden forever.

Listen. If you can send help, I'm near the Divide, but on the other side of the wall. I'm picking up two hollow lights outside. I might be able to get a guardian up which will buy me some time, but we wont last long. Im going for the one right on the edge of the wall, but there's one by the cliff. It's pinging on the edge of the collapsed highway leading into the Cosmodrome. Use that signal to pinpoint me.

/ENCRYPTED DATA/

There's an old Kvostov model rifle here. If I can get the guardian inside, he might be able to use it. Not sure how useful it will be if the splicer priests are still running around out there, but it'll keep the dregs off us.

/RECALL UNIT SHORTING

NO

PLEASE NO

/RECALL UNIT OFFLINE

...

/RECALL UNIT ONLINE

/RECALL UNIT SHORTING

I don't want to...

...

please...

/RECALL UNIT MALFUNCTION DETECTED

(A1: A voice similar to the one in the transmission) Now why would I ever tell you that.

(B1: A voice similar, but different. Seems to have a few fallen syntax tendencies) Because I want to meet up with you. Now stop bouncing your voice off the walls so I can find you. We'll be safer together.

(A2) Virgil, or whoever is using her voice, I saw them grab you.

(B2) I managed to escape them. Onyx please, meet up with me.

(A3) I heard everything. Even her screams.

(B3: more agitated, slightly more raspy) Pease. We have to find each other.

(A4) I hear that. You're not her anymore. What have you done to her?

(B4: now fully fallen) *unintelligible string of fallen chatter*

(A5) WHAT. HAVE. YOU. DONE.

(B5) We have made her useful, yes? To find more light. To become strong again.

(A6: shocked and scared) How? How could you ever use the light?

(B6) Your "Traveler" was not always yours. The Great Machine abandoned us once, but we did not forget its secrets. The Eliskni will walk with light once more. You are but a single mote in a flood of brilliance.

(A7) Then why do you need me? Just let me go.

(B7) You know now. Too many secrets. You leave, they will come and desecrate our plans. You will not leave this wall.

/RECALL UNIT OFFLINE

...

...

/RECALL UNIT RESTORED

I'm going after that light. If you can get to these coordinates /DATA ENCRYPTED/, or can get them to someone who can, please, send help.

/END TRANSMISSION


	2. Chapter 1: The Last of Six

_A short note:_

Hi there. I dont really have much to say here this time, but in the future I will probably have more content in this section.

I just wanted to set this up both to establish a pattern and simply say "hello".

So hello, please enjoy my story as I take my first few steps into the world of writing and thank you for stopping by.

- _Catdrewz_

 **CHAPTER I - THE LAST OF SIX**

"My god. What is taking him so long. All he had to do was turn off the TV."

...

"Hello?"

...

"Some time today?"

...

"HELLO?"

...

"I swear to god I have to do everything myself."

The guardians eyes flew open, then flew back shut. Of all the things he was expecting, bright light reflecting off snow was not on that list.

"How do you feel"

Still dazed, the guardian just squinted at the scene before him.

This was most definitely not where he was moments before. He was in a kitchen. It had a nice oak table surrounded by twelve chairs, enough for family and unexpected guests. Now he was looking at an old highway covered in rusted out cars and skeletons. The kitchen made more sense to him.

But why did this highway feel so much more...

Real?

"Are you okay there? Can you respond?"

The Guardian closed his eyes and tried to go back to his kitchen. He pictured the polished ebony cabinets, the marble countertops, the table for ten.

Or was it twelve?

"Guardian, we don't have much time. Can you respond?"

The guardian was panicking now. The world he was just taken away from was fading. He couldn't remember his home, his friends, his family. Even his own name was lost to him.

"Guardian. Respond"

The guardian opened his eyes and took in the new world. There was an old highway to his left. Scattered about the area were old cars, similar to the ones he thought he had. Or did he just have one? He didn't know anymore. To his back was a massive wall, stretching far up into the sky. The sky was a crisp blue with few clouds to be seen. The sun was just beginning its descent for the day, marking the time around noon. Stretching up from a few points on the horizon were spires with three balls stacked on the top of each one. Colony ships sprang to mind, but the guardian didn't have any memory of such things. Directly in front of him at the end of the highway was a cliff with several cars hanging off the edge.

"Guardian"

Then there was... Something... floating in front of him.

Similar to a four pointed star, but three dimensional. Its center was a sphere and around that sphere were tetrahedral structures that came to a rounded end where the corners of a cube would be. Each of these structures seemed to be detached as the occasionally swiveled around the sphere. The device or creature seemed quite agitated as individual structures were fidgeting and quivering quite frequently.

"Can. You. Respond."

"What the hell..."

"Well at least he can speak. That's a relief."

The guardian slowly stood, still staring at the object in front of him.

"Listen, we don't have much time. The fallen, er, these things hunting you and I, have our scent. I didn't want to bind myself to you, but you're my only hope for getting out of here."

"What are you?"

"I'm a ghost, and we don't have time for these questions right now."

The guardian jumped as inhuman howls echo from above the wall.

"That'd be the fallen. They found our light, now their going to hunt it."

"What do you mean by 'our light'?"

"Look. I'll explain once were safer, but for now, we need to find a ship, and we need to get out of here."

Another howl, this time from over the edge of the cliff. Much closer.

"Follow my waypoints. Don't slow down."

The guardian slowly began to make his way through the rusted graveyard towards a door that was highlighted.

He just now noticed he was wearing a helmet. In fact, he was wearing a full exosuit. Including an odd bracelet around his upper arm that was warm to the touch.

"I wouldn't start playing with that yet. Those can be quite volatile if messed with."

"Then why is there one on my arm?"

"Because you're a warlock, and it helps channel your light."

"Again with that light, what is it?"

"When were safe."

The guardian was inside now. The motion tracker was lighting up with movement everywhere. The waypoints led him to a balcony hanging out into the darkness in the center of the wall. The next waypoint popped up near the ground. It highlighted two old rifles with busted scopes.

"Take your pick. Neither one will do much, but it'll keep a few dregs at bay."

The guardian picked up each rifle, got a feel for both, then settled on one with a longer barrel.

"Leave the other one then. The fallen won't use them, and it might give someone else a chance to survive."

"Now how do we get out of here?"

"Don't worry, I can get this gate open."

"That's not what worries me. The fallen things, you said they had our scent, right? That they could hunt us. Even if we make it through here. Even if we make it to the other side. How far will he have to run to escape them?"

"I saw a ship earlier. One that might be able to hold together till we reach the City."

"And who's flying it?"

"You are, with my guidance. I hope you learn quickly."

Another howl, this time inside the wall.

"With the right motivation, I'm sure I'll manage."

The gate in front of the clanged open as the ghost knocked the lock off. The duo slowly progressed with the ghost lighting the walkways ahead. As they crossed the center of the wall, the guardian noticed movement off to the side. By the time the ghost illuminated the spot however, nothing was there but rusted steel. They made their way through a few more hallways into an open room with a hole in the far wall. A few humanoid creatures were sitting in the center conversing in a language similar to the howls heard earlier. Neither noticed as the guardian stood there in a silent panic for almost a minute. Nor did they notice when the guardian finally leveled the rifle to aim it towards what appeared to be their heads. One of them definitely noticed as the other's head exploded into a cloud of vapor.

It noticed, along with the other three creatures in the corners of the room. The guardian hadn't seen them in his initial panicked sweep of the room. Now they were charging him with two sets of arms holding their weapons steady. Something odd happened though. As one of them neared, the guardian went to strike at it. Not to do damage to it in any meaningful way, but to maybe stun it enough to take its weapon, something doubtless stronger that the piece of scrap he was holding on to. Instead of the heel of his palm connecting as he intended, a strange force struck the creature and dissolved it in a purple light.

The other creatures stepped back, just as shocked as he was. One of the four armed creatures snapped out of its confusion and shouted something at the others. The guardian aimed his weapon at the one that shouted and blasted it away with a burst from the rifle. No sooner than he had done this, a much louder burst of alien chatter was heard.

"Time to go."

"But I was just getting started."

"No questions."

As the ghost said this, a much larger creature emerged from the wall.

"MOVE"

The guardian didn't need to be told this as he was already running to the side door. A few of the smaller creatures tried to get in his way, but he knocked them back with whatever force he had used on the larger one. He noted, however, that this time, they didn't dissolve.

"Not much farther to the ship."

They burst out into fresh air and a maelstrom of flaming shrapnel. Three of the four armed creatures had formed a line in front of the guardian and were opening fire with a different weapon than what he had seen before.

"Use your grenade!"

"My what?"

"Similar to what you did earlier, just, I don't know. Try something!"

So the guardian did. He tried lobbing something at the creatures, and about halfway through his toss, an object shimmering with the same purple light as before materialized in his hand. He let go and it arced perfectly, exploding on impact, immediately killing the creatures and leaving behind a small sphere of that purple light.

"You're stronger that I thought, but be careful. Theres a splicer priest up ahead, and we cant let it slow us down."

"Or that... Thing... will catch us."

"Yeah. The Archon will catch us, kill you, and turn me into some form of weapon or armor. And I'm not keen on finding out which."

The guardian jumped a ledge and sprinted towards the waypoint his ghost had lit up for him. He was heading through a clearing when two small ships flew in from over the wall and opened fire.

"Watch the skiffs. If they aren't gone by the time we get to the ship, we may have some complications with our launch."

The guardian barely heard that over the arc blasts discharging around them. He hit the marker and tore around the corner into the hallway for cover. He hit a few smaller creatures with the telekinetic strike from before and kept running. Soon he reached a room open to the sky with a ship suspended by a few chains. As soon as the ghost saw this, it disappeared.

"Don't worry, I'm still here. Give me a moment to get the Trans-Mat system back online"

The guardian had already noticed a problem with this room. There was a hole in one of the walls very similar to the one from the first room. Both were about the same size, they were the same hight off the ground, and both had what the ghost had described as an "Archon" climbing out of them.

"We don't have a moment."

"One more... GOT IT!

Bringing you inside."

The guardian felt himself dissolve for an instant before he appeared in the ship. He panicked for a moment as he looked at the controls. He had never fliwn a jumpship before. He had no clue how to operate even the simplest flight console, let alone the unintuitive and overly complex systems of the early golden-age Arcadia. The ghost had never seen these controls as well. However it only took a second to download the necessary information. He started calmly guiding the guardian into the air.

"Bring the highlighted levers to their corresponding waypoints. Activate these..."

As the guardian followed the ghosts instructions, the ship rose from the ruins of the Cosmodrome and sailed off into sky. Wire rifle shots traced the guardians path of escape, but the leader of the pack looked elsewhere.

The archon barked at one of the vandals not firing at the fleeing ship.

"Get me a comms channel with the priest. I want to see what he can do with these lights of his."


End file.
